A guest post describing various childcare options

Childcare options - a guest blog post

It’s sometimes useful to get an opinion from the experts.  This is a guest post outlining different types of childcare from the team at care.com.

What Type of Childcare is Right for Your Family?
By The Care.Com Team
With many different childcare options out there it can be difficult to know which one is right for your family. Care.com, childcare experts and the online community for families to find childcare near them, have put together a list of 5 types of childcare that could be just what you’re looking for.

1. Babysitter

Maybe you need a babysitter who will watch your children whilst you run some errands. Or perhaps you and your partner need someone to watch the children whilst you head out on a much-needed date night. Many parents find that a trusted babysitter is a must have addition to their family life. Babysitters can play with your children, sort out dinner and even manage bedtime. They’re the perfect option for a few hours when you need a break. A teenage babysitter may also be able to fill this role. Be sure to look for someone with the age, and maturity, to fulfill your requirements. Think about whether they will be making dinner and putting the children to bed, or will the children already be asleep when the babysitter arrives?

2. A Mother’s Help

Do you feel the need for a quiet cup of tea, and the chance to have a shower which is longer than a minute? Often stay-at-home parents feel unsure about hiring someone to help around the house, but needing a helping hand doesn’t stop you from being Super-Mum — it simply means you know when to take a breather! A mother’s help can play with your child when you’re in the house. Dependent on what you’re looking for, a mother’s help can also do some housework and cleaning. Having a trusted mother’s help can give you some uninterrupted time to get work done, cook dinner or read a good book.

3. Backup Sitter


What happens when your normally reliable and regular caregiver calls in sick, or changes plans? If your child goes to a childminder or a nursery, there is the chance your child could get poorly — and have to stay at home. In such cases, it’s a great idea to have someone trustworthy saved in your mobile who you can call on.

4. Part-Time Nanny

Perhaps what you need is something, somewhere, between a nanny and babysitter. That’s where part-time nannies come in. Do you need someone to watch your kids for a few hours every day during the gap between school finishing and the end of your workday? Maybe you need someone to look after your children during the school holidays — and you can’t take a week off work. Babysitters probably aren’t the best option because you want someone who is more involved with your children and trained in childcare. But you don’t need a full-time nanny who will watch your children all day, every day.

5. Full-Time Nanny

Nannies can be particularly helpful to working parents. They care for your child all day, whilst you’re at work. Parents who work from home often rely on nannies just to get a full day’s work in. Balancing work and children in the home may sound like a good idea at the start, but anyone who has tried to compose a simple email with children about knows it can be difficult. This should not be a source of guilt. Nannies are career childcare professionals who can be depended on every day. Nannies are different from babysitters because they look after your children for longer and are more involved with their development and education.